paint restoration

[michaelk3289]

Hi everyone

i would like some advice please

i have some pics of my car but have no clue how to upload them on this forum

i bought my w124 in Polar white (i think) several months back now, the guy i bought it off (Goldie) i think (guy was a *****) said it had just had paint correction done, i must admit it did clean up well, it was so dirty when i arrived to view it, prob so i couldnt see the slightly different shade on the wings.

anyway, it has been several months now since it was last polished (i work overseas for long periods) and its looking a bit tired, you can see where its been touched up on the door edges etc and the front wings have been replaced, colour isnt an exact match

can this be brought back to life with some elbow grease and the correct products

i was thinking about resparying the car and doing the sanding myself (with orbital sander) to keep costs down. but i think that might be a bit ott

could someone please give me a heads up,

thanks

 

[michaelk3289]

please see my album for a couple of pics of my car once i got it back from Scotland and cleaned it up, the paint is very dull now compared to when this pic was taken

thanks

 

[d w124]

 

[michaelk3289]

thanks dash, gonna give me a clue??????

 

[lordlee]

To be honest you will probably never get the wings to match up. Best get those resprayed on the car as they will be far easier to match. As for the dull paint work I would recommend Autoglym Paint restorer followed by their Super Resin Polish and a very durable wax to keep it all nice for a long time - Collinite 476s is extremely durable and a £17 pound pot will last you for years

 

[michaelk3289]

is the Collinite 476s available in most places ie Halfords, or should i look somewhere else for it

thanks

 

[GRAV888]

I wouldn't bother with the DIY sanding, especially with an orbital sander.
When I had my spray shop, I wouldn't touch anything that people 'prepped' themselves.
The finish is all about the preparation. Unless you are familiar with it, leave it to an expert. If you prepare it, you could end up spending more having it corrected.

 

[michaelk3289]

^ any ideas how much a respray should cost????

 

[GRAV888]

It varies depending on the place you use.
Mine used to start at £800 and went to £???
It all depends on how much work is involved.

 

[michaelk3289]

ok thanks for info, prob end up just using the paint restorer, polish and wax etc, but thanks anyway

 

[lordlee]

is the Collinite 476s available in most places ie Halfords, or should i look somewhere else for it

thanks

Collinite Super Doublecoat No. 476S - Clean Your Car

If it were available in Halfrauds it would be at least £22!!

 

[michaelk3289]

Thanks lee, i guess i will find all the products needed on that site along with any cloths i may need to do the job?

 

[lordlee]

Ultimate German Applicator - Clean Your Car - for the paint renovator and polish
Meguiars Foam Applicators Pkg/2 - Clean Your Car - for the waxing

I would recommend you use a microfibre wash mitt to clean the car with after this as it will help not scratch the paint - they are cheap so its a no brainer. Also source some good quality Microfibres - use these for drying the car and removing the polish and wax.

Put the Collinite on thinly a panel at a time and remove it before doing the next.

Please post the results up as I always like to see shiny Mercs!!

 

[michaelk3289]

Ultimate German Applicator - Clean Your Car - for the paint renovator and polish
Meguiars Foam Applicators Pkg/2 - Clean Your Car - for the waxing

I would recommend you use a microfibre wash mitt to clean the car with after this as it will help not scratch the paint - they are cheap so its a no brainer. Also source some good quality Microfibres - use these for drying the car and removing the polish and wax.

Put the Collinite on thinly a panel at a time and remove it before doing the next.

Please post the results up as I always like to see shiny Mercs!!

i will take some before and after pics and post them, wont be for several weeks as i am out of uk for several weeks yet

thanks again

 

[michaelk3289]

should i use a clay before i use the auto glym restorer, or are they they same???

thanks